US10350904B2 - Inkjet printer - Google Patents
Inkjet printer Download PDFInfo
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- US10350904B2 US10350904B2 US15/907,498 US201815907498A US10350904B2 US 10350904 B2 US10350904 B2 US 10350904B2 US 201815907498 A US201815907498 A US 201815907498A US 10350904 B2 US10350904 B2 US 10350904B2
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Images
Classifications
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B41J11/00—Devices or arrangements of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form
- B41J11/0015—Devices or arrangements of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form for treating before, during or after printing or for uniform coating or laminating the copy material before or after printing
- B41J11/002—Curing or drying the ink on the copy materials, e.g. by heating or irradiating
- B41J11/0021—Curing or drying the ink on the copy materials, e.g. by heating or irradiating using irradiation
- B41J11/00214—Curing or drying the ink on the copy materials, e.g. by heating or irradiating using irradiation using UV radiation
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
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- B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
- B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
- B41J2/01—Ink jet
- B41J2/21—Ink jet for multi-colour printing
- B41J2/2121—Ink jet for multi-colour printing characterised by dot size, e.g. combinations of printed dots of different diameter
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B41J11/00—Devices or arrangements of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form
- B41J11/0015—Devices or arrangements of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form for treating before, during or after printing or for uniform coating or laminating the copy material before or after printing
- B41J11/002—Curing or drying the ink on the copy materials, e.g. by heating or irradiating
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
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- B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B41J11/00—Devices or arrangements of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form
- B41J11/0015—Devices or arrangements of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form for treating before, during or after printing or for uniform coating or laminating the copy material before or after printing
- B41J11/002—Curing or drying the ink on the copy materials, e.g. by heating or irradiating
- B41J11/0021—Curing or drying the ink on the copy materials, e.g. by heating or irradiating using irradiation
- B41J11/00212—Controlling the irradiation means, e.g. image-based controlling of the irradiation zone or control of the duration or intensity of the irradiation
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B41J11/00—Devices or arrangements of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form
- B41J11/0015—Devices or arrangements of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form for treating before, during or after printing or for uniform coating or laminating the copy material before or after printing
- B41J11/002—Curing or drying the ink on the copy materials, e.g. by heating or irradiating
- B41J11/0021—Curing or drying the ink on the copy materials, e.g. by heating or irradiating using irradiation
- B41J11/00218—Constructional details of the irradiation means, e.g. radiation source attached to reciprocating print head assembly or shutter means provided on the radiation source
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
- B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
- B41J2/01—Ink jet
- B41J2/135—Nozzles
- B41J2/145—Arrangement thereof
- B41J2/155—Arrangement thereof for line printing
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
- B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
- B41J2/01—Ink jet
- B41J2/21—Ink jet for multi-colour printing
- B41J2/2103—Features not dealing with the colouring process per se, e.g. construction of printers or heads, driving circuit adaptations
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
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- B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
- B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
- B41J2/01—Ink jet
- B41J2/21—Ink jet for multi-colour printing
- B41J2/2107—Ink jet for multi-colour printing characterised by the ink properties
- B41J2/2114—Ejecting specialized liquids, e.g. transparent or processing liquids
- B41J2/2117—Ejecting white liquids
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B41J3/00—Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed
- B41J3/54—Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed with two or more sets of type or printing elements
- B41J3/543—Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed with two or more sets of type or printing elements with multiple inkjet print heads
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41M—PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING
- B41M3/00—Printing processes to produce particular kinds of printed work, e.g. patterns
- B41M3/008—Sequential or multiple printing, e.g. on previously printed background; Mirror printing; Recto-verso printing; using a combination of different printing techniques; Printing of patterns visible in reflection and by transparency; by superposing printed artifacts
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41M—PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING
- B41M7/00—After-treatment of prints, e.g. heating, irradiating, setting of the ink, protection of the printed stock
- B41M7/0081—After-treatment of prints, e.g. heating, irradiating, setting of the ink, protection of the printed stock using electromagnetic radiation or waves, e.g. ultraviolet radiation, electron beams
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B41J2202/00—Embodiments of or processes related to ink-jet or thermal heads
- B41J2202/01—Embodiments of or processes related to ink-jet heads
- B41J2202/21—Line printing
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41M—PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING
- B41M7/00—After-treatment of prints, e.g. heating, irradiating, setting of the ink, protection of the printed stock
- B41M7/009—After-treatment of prints, e.g. heating, irradiating, setting of the ink, protection of the printed stock using thermal means, e.g. infrared radiation, heat
Definitions
- JP-A-2015-214133 discloses an inkjet printer including color ink heads that eject process color inks such as cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y) and black (K) inks and a clear ink head that ejects a special color ink such as clear ink (CL).
- color ink heads that eject process color inks such as cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y) and black (K) inks
- K black
- CL clear ink
- a printed image is formed on a recording medium by causing the color ink heads to eject color inks onto the recording medium based on a preliminarily prepared print image. Then, an overcoat layer that covers the printed image is formed by causing the clear ink head to eject the clear ink over the color inks that have been ejected onto the recording medium. In this way, the inkjet printer of JP-A-2015-214133 performs overprinting in which two or more ink layers are stacked on top of each other.
- the number of heads that eject the ink for overcoat layer printing is generally smaller than the number of heads that eject color inks for image printing.
- C, M, Y and K color ink heads
- CL clear ink head
- the effect of the overcoat may be insufficient.
- the upper layer forming a ground color may not completely cover a lower layer forming an image and visual effects, such as one that makes images look sharper, cannot be achieved sufficiently.
- An inkjet printing method includes ejecting a color ink on a recording medium; ejecting a white ink on the color ink; and emitting light to cure the color ink ejected onto the recording medium and the white ink ejected onto the color ink; wherein the emitting light includes emitting light to the color ink after waiting a first time period from when the color ink has been ejected onto the recording medium and emitting light to the white ink after waiting a second time period from when the white ink has been ejected onto the color ink; wherein the first time period is less than the second time period.
- FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram, illustrating the configuration of a bottom surface of a carriage according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the printer according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.
- inkjet printers According to some preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings. It should be understood that the preferred embodiments described herein are not particularly intended to limit the present invention. In addition, members and elements that have the same functions are denoted by the same reference numerals or symbols and redundant description is omitted or simplified as appropriate.
- the reference symbol Y in the drawings represents a main scanning direction and the reference symbol X represents a sub-scanning direction X, which is perpendicular to the main scanning direction Y.
- the reference symbols F, Rr, L, R, U and D in the drawings represent front, rear, left, right, up and down, respectively. These are, however, directions used for convenience of description and are not intended to limit the installation mode, etc. of the inkjet printer.
- FIG. 1 is a front view of a wide-format inkjet printer (which is hereinafter referred to as “printer”) 10 according to a first preferred embodiment according to the present invention.
- FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram, illustrating the configuration of a surface (a bottom surface in this preferred embodiment) of a carriage 24 to be opposed to a recording medium 5 .
- the printer 10 prints an image on a rolled recording medium 5 by moving the recording medium 5 sequentially forward (toward the downstream side in the sub-scanning direction X) and ejecting inks from ink heads 40 (refer to FIG. 2 ) that move in the main scanning direction Y.
- the carriage motor 15 is electrically connected to a controller 30 .
- the carriage motor 15 is controlled by the controller 30 .
- the pulley 14 A rotates and the belt 13 runs.
- the carriage 24 moves in the main scanning direction Y along the guide rail 12 .
- the ink heads 40 also move in the main scanning direction Y.
- the belt 13 , the pulley 14 A, the pulley 14 B and the carriage motor 15 constitute one example of a movement mechanism that moves the carriage 24 and the ink heads 40 in the main scanning direction Y.
- a platen 16 is located below the carriage 24 .
- the platen 16 is elongated in the main scanning direction Y.
- the recording medium 5 is placed on the platen 16 .
- Pinch rollers 17 that press the recording medium 5 down from above are provided above the platen 16 .
- the pinch rollers 17 are located to the rear of the carriage 24 .
- the platen 16 includes grid rollers 18 .
- the grid rollers 18 are located immediately below the pinch rollers 17 .
- the grid rollers 18 are located at positions facing the pinch rollers 17 .
- the grid rollers 18 are coupled to a feed motor 22 (refer to FIG. 4 ).
- the grid rollers 18 are rotatable by a driving force of the feed motor 22 .
- the feed motor 22 is electrically connected to the controller 30 .
- the feed motor 22 is controlled by the controller 30 .
- the controller 30 controls the feed motor 22 to control the recording medium 5 .
- the grid rollers 18 are rotated with the recording medium 5 held between the pinch rollers 17 and the grid rollers 18 , the recording medium 5 is transported in the sub-scanning direction X.
- the pinch rollers 17 , the grid rollers 18 and the feed motor 22 constitute one example of a transporter that moves the recording medium 5 in the sub-scanning direction X.
- the second ink head 42 includes a plurality of nozzles 45 aligned in the sub-scanning direction X.
- the plurality of nozzles 45 is aligned in a line to form a nozzle array 46 in the second ink head 42 .
- the nozzle array 46 includes a second upstream side nozzle array 46 A located on the upstream side in the sub-scanning direction X and a second downstream side nozzle array 46 B located on the downstream side in the sub-scanning direction X.
- each of the first ink heads 41 C, 41 M, 41 Y and 41 K and the second ink head 42 is shown to have ten nozzles 43 or 45 in FIG. 2 , much more (for example, 300) nozzles 43 or 45 are preferably provided in reality. However, the number of nozzles 43 and 45 is not at all limited.
- An actuator 47 (refer to FIGS. 8A and 8B ) is provided in each of the first ink heads 41 C, 41 M, 41 Y and 41 K, and an actuator (refer also to FIGS. 8A and 8B ) is provided in the second ink head 42 . While the actuators 47 provided in the first ink heads 41 C, 41 M, 41 Y and 41 K and the actuator 48 provided in the second ink head 42 have the same mechanism, the actuators 47 provided in the first ink heads 41 C, 41 M, 41 Y and 41 K are referred to as “first actuators 47 ” and the actuator 48 provided in the second ink head 42 is referred to as “second actuator 48 ” for convenience sake.
- the inks are ejected from the nozzles 43 of the first ink heads 41 C, 41 M, 41 Y and 41 K and the nozzles 45 of the second ink head 42 onto the recording medium 5 .
- Each of the first ink heads 41 C, 41 M, 41 Y and 41 K and the second ink head 42 is communicated with an ink cartridge (not shown) via an ink supply passage (not shown).
- the ink cartridges are detachably disposed in a right end portion of the printer main unit 10 A, for example.
- the materials of the inks are not at all limited, and various types of materials conventionally used as materials of inks for inkjet printers can be used.
- the inks may be solvent-based pigment inks, aqueous pigment inks, aqueous dye inks, or ultraviolet curable pigment inks, which cures when exposed to ultraviolet radiation, for example.
- the printer 10 includes an ultraviolet irradiator as an ink curing unit for curable inks, and the inks are therefore ultraviolet curable pigment inks.
- the first ultraviolet irradiator 26 A is located on the upstream side in the sub-scanning direction X on the carriage 24 . In other words, the first ultraviolet irradiator 26 A is aligned with the first upstream side nozzle arrays 44 A and the second upstream side nozzle array 46 A in the main scanning direction Y. The first ultraviolet irradiator 26 A is installed such that it emits ultraviolet radiation to a position directly underneath it.
- the second ultraviolet irradiator 26 B is located on the downstream side in the sub-scanning direction X on the carriage 24 . In other words, the second ultraviolet irradiator 26 B is aligned with the first downstream side nozzle arrays 44 B and the second downstream side nozzle array 46 B in the main scanning direction Y.
- the second ultraviolet irradiator 26 B is also installed such that it emits ultraviolet radiation to a position directly underneath it.
- the first ultraviolet irradiator 26 A and the second ultraviolet irradiator 26 B may be structurally integrated with each other as long as they are controlled separately.
- FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the printer 10 according to this preferred embodiment.
- the controller 30 is communicably connected to the feed motor 22 , the carriage motor 15 , the first actuator 47 , the second actuator 48 , the first ultraviolet irradiator 26 A and the second ultraviolet irradiator 26 B, and is configured or programmed to control these elements.
- the controller 30 is configured or programmed to include a first ejection controller 31 , a second ejection controller 32 , a first dot controller 33 , a second dot controller 34 , a scan controller 35 , and a feed controller 36 .
- the controller 30 may have any configuration.
- the controller 30 may be a microcomputer.
- the microcomputer may have any hardware configuration, but may include, for example, an interface (I/F) through which it receives print data and so on from an external device such as a host computer, a central processing unit (CPU) that executes instructions from control programs, a ROM (read only memory) in which programs that are executed by the CPU are stored, a RAM (random access memory) that is used as a working area in which the programs are developed, and a storage device, such as a memory, in which the program and various data are stored.
- the controller 30 is not necessarily provided in the printer main unit 10 A, and may be a computer or the like that is disposed outside the printer main unit 10 A and communicably connected to the printer main unit 10 A via a wired or wireless connection, for example.
- the first ejection controller 31 causes the nozzles 43 of the first upstream side nozzle arrays 44 A to eject the process color inks onto the recording medium 5 .
- the first ejection controller 31 is connected to the first actuators 47 (refer to FIG. 4 and FIGS. 8A and 8B ), and causes the nozzles 43 of the first upstream side nozzle arrays 44 A to eject the process color inks.
- the second ejection controller 32 causes the nozzles 45 of the second downstream side nozzle array 46 B to eject the special color ink over the process color inks that have been ejected onto the recording medium 5 .
- the special color ink is white ink.
- the second ejection controller 32 is connected to the second actuator 48 (refer to FIG. 4 and FIGS. 8A and 8B ), and causes the nozzles 45 of the second downstream side nozzle array 46 B to eject the white ink.
- the first dot controller 33 controls the dot size after curing of the process color inks.
- the first dot controller 33 is connected to the first ultraviolet irradiator 26 A, and causes the first ultraviolet irradiator 26 A to emit ultraviolet radiation with a predetermined intensity at predetermined times.
- the first dot controller 33 controls the dot size after curing of the process color inks by controlling the irradiation of the ultraviolet radiation.
- the printer 10 is also configured or programmed to be able to perform overprinting in which an upper print layer is formed over a lower print layer as well as the normal printing as described above.
- overprinting an image is first printed with the process color inks on the recording medium 5 , for example. Then, the process color inks are cured. Then, printing is performed over the cured process color inks using a special color ink to provide a visual effect. After that, the ejected special color ink is cured.
- the purpose of overprinting is to provide the image with a specific visual effect. In this preferred embodiment, because the recording medium 5 is a transparent sheet, the purpose is to provide the image with a ground color (white).
- the above inkjet printer ensures that the image layer is covered with a layer of a special color ink by making the dot size of the special color ink, which forms the upper layer, greater than the dot size of the process color inks, which form the lower layer.
- This configuration reliably enables the special color ink to provide the image with an expected visual effect.
- the above inkjet printer is able to achieve the above advantageous effects without increasing the number of the nozzles in the second downstream side nozzle array 46 B or increasing the number of times of ejection from the nozzles in the second downstream side nozzle array 46 B. Thus, there is no possibility that the printing efficiency is lowered.
- FIGS. 5A and 5B is a schematic diagram, as viewed from above, illustrating the carriage 24 and its surroundings during continuous overprinting.
- the hatching provided in some of the nozzles 43 and 45 indicates that the relevant nozzle is ejecting ink.
- the illuminating mark on the first ultraviolet irradiator 26 A and the second ultraviolet irradiator 26 B indicates that the relevant ultraviolet irradiator is emitting ultraviolet radiation.
- FIG. 5A is a diagram illustrating a state where process color inks are being ejected and cured.
- FIG. 5A is a diagram illustrating a state where a lower layer is being printed.
- the process color inks are ejected from the nozzles 43 of the first upstream side nozzle arrays 44 A.
- the carriage 24 is performing printing of the lower layer while moving in the main scanning direction Y.
- the feed controller 36 drives the feed motor 22 to move the recording medium 5 forward once.
- the movement distance at this time is equal to the length in the sub-scanning direction X of the first upstream side nozzle arrays 44 A.
- the second ejection controller 32 causes the nozzles 45 of the second downstream side nozzle array 46 B to eject the white ink and causes, after the ejection, the second ultraviolet irradiator 26 B to emit ultraviolet radiation.
- the second ultraviolet irradiator 26 B irradiates the white ink ejected over the lower layer with ultraviolet radiation.
- the process color inks are being ejected from the nozzles 43 of the second upstream side nozzle arrays 44 A to a region E 2 next to the cured region E 1 (on the upstream side in the sub-scanning direction X), and the first ultraviolet irradiator 26 A is curing the ejected process color inks.
- the printer 10 according to this preferred embodiment in which the positions of the first upstream side nozzle arrays 44 A and the second downstream side nozzle array 46 B are offset in the sub-scanning direction X as described above, is able to perform overprinting continuously.
- the first dot controller 33 and the second dot controller 34 control the first ultraviolet irradiator 26 A and the second ultraviolet irradiator 26 B, respectively, so that the dot size after curing of the white ink can be greater than the dot size after curing of the process color inks.
- all the nozzles eject ink dots with the same size. In other words, all the ink dots have almost the same volume.
- the nozzles 43 and the nozzles 45 are arranged at the same pitch, and the ink dots ejected from the nozzles 43 and the ink dots ejected from the nozzles 45 are therefore the same in number per unit area.
- first curing start time the time period between the ejection of process color inks and the start of emission of ultraviolet radiation
- second curing start time the time period between the ejection of a special color ink and the start of emission of ultraviolet radiation.
- the first dot controller 33 causes the first ultraviolet irradiator 26 A to start curing of the process color inks when a predetermined “first curing start time” has passed after the ejection of the process color inks.
- the second dot controller 34 causes the second ultraviolet irradiator 26 B to start curing of the special color ink when a predetermined “second curing start time” has passed after the ejection of the special color ink.
- FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram, as viewed from a side, of a process color ink and a white ink on the recording medium 5 .
- a process color ink 51 is present on a surface of the recording medium 5 and has a dot size (diameter) D 1 .
- the dot size D 1 corresponds to the “first dot size” in this preferred embodiment.
- the dots of the process color ink 51 have a height of H 1 .
- dots of a white ink 52 have a dot size (diameter) D 2 .
- the dot size D 2 corresponds to the “second dot size” in this preferred embodiment.
- the dots of the white ink 52 have a height of H 2 .
- the process color ink 51 and the white ink 52 have the same set dot size and therefore have almost the same dot volume.
- the height H 2 of the dots of the white ink 52 which were cured after spreading flat, is lower than the height H 1 of the dots of the process color ink 51 , which were cured before spreading so much, and the dot size D 2 of the white ink 52 is larger than the dot size D 1 of the process color ink 51 .
- the dot size D 2 of the white ink 52 is larger than the dot size D 1 of the process color ink 51 , the dots of the process color ink 51 are completely covered with the dots of the white ink 52 .
- the printed matter obtains a desired visual effect.
- the dot size control as described above may have variation depending on the ink types. For example, when the special color ink 52 wets more readily (has a smaller contact angle on) the recording medium 5 than the process color ink 51 , the process color ink 51 and the special color ink 52 may be cured under the same conditions. When the process color ink 51 and the special color ink 52 are cured under the same conditions, the resulting dot size D 2 of the special color ink 52 becomes larger than the dot size D 1 of the process color ink 51 .
- the printer 10 ensures, in overprinting in which lower and upper layers are printed on top of each other, that the layer of a special color ink that forms the upper layer completely covers an image layer that forms the lower layer.
- a desired visual effect is achieved.
- a second preferred embodiment of the present invention is a preferred embodiment in which heaters are provided in place of the ultraviolet irradiators as ink curing units.
- the inks in the second preferred embodiment are inks that are cured by heat or inks that undergo accelerated curing when exposed to heat.
- the printer 10 according to the second preferred embodiment is identical with the printer 10 according to the first preferred embodiment except for having heaters in place of the ultraviolet irradiators and some differences in control.
- the same members as those of the first preferred embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals or symbols and redundant description is omitted or simplified. This also applies to the description of a third preferred embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram, as viewed from above, of the top of the platen 16 .
- the carriage 24 is in engagement with the guide rail 12 (not shown in FIG. 7 ) to move in the main scanning direction Y.
- the recording medium 5 is mounted on the platen 16 .
- a first heater 28 A and a second heater 28 B are attached to a lower surface of the platen 16 (the surface thereof opposite to the “upper surface” on which the recording medium 5 is mounted).
- the first heater 28 A is located in the same position as the first upstream side nozzle arrays 44 A and the second upstream side nozzle array 46 A with respect to the sub-scanning direction X.
- the recording medium 5 is moved intermittently to the downstream side in the sub-scanning direction X (toward the front F of the printer 10 ) whereas the positional relationship in the sub-scanning direction X between the first and second heaters 28 A and 28 B and the ink heads 40 in the carriage 24 does not change.
- the region E 3 into which the process color inks are ejected, is maintained at the “first temperature” by the first heater 28 A
- the region E 4 into which the special color ink is ejected, is maintained at the “second temperature” by the second heater 28 B.
- the printer 10 keeps the dot size of the special color ink larger than the dot size of the process color inks at any time during printing.
- the first actuator 47 and the second actuator 48 control the dot size of the ink to be ejected based on a control signal sent from the first dot controller 33 and the second dot controller 34 , respectively.
- the first actuator 47 and the second actuator 48 are configured or programmed to be able to select from three dot sizes S, M and L, for example.
- the S size is the basic dot size with the smallest volume.
- the medium dot size next to the S size is the M size.
- the M size has twice the volume of the S size, for example.
- the dot size with the largest volume is the L size.
- the L size has three times the volume of the S size, for example. While there are three dot sizes in this preferred embodiment, the number of dot sizes may be four or more, or two. The size differences are not necessarily two and three times greater.
- the first dot controller 33 sends a “first control signal” that causes the first actuator 47 to eject S size ink dots, for example.
- FIG. 8A shows a state where S size ink dots S are being ejected from the first ink head 41 C.
- the ink dots S are ejected every time the pressure chambers 47 A are contracted by displacement of the piezoelectric elements 47 B, which are provided in contact with the pressure chambers 47 A.
- the ink dots S have a volume that is equal to the decrease in volume of the pressure chambers 47 A per contraction.
- process color inks are ejected to form a lower layer and a special color ink is ejected to form an upper layer in some of the above preferred embodiments of the present invention
- a special color ink may be ejected to form a lower layer and process color inks may be ejected to form an upper layer.
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- Ink Jet (AREA)
- Thermal Sciences (AREA)
Abstract
Description
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JP2017043916A JP6235180B1 (en) | 2017-03-08 | 2017-03-08 | Inkjet printer |
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JP7135357B2 (en) * | 2018-03-19 | 2022-09-13 | 株式会社リコー | Liquid ejector |
JP7136210B2 (en) * | 2018-08-24 | 2022-09-13 | ブラザー工業株式会社 | printer |
JP2023006465A (en) * | 2021-06-30 | 2023-01-18 | ブラザー工業株式会社 | Printer, control method, and control program |
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JP2010076102A (en) * | 2008-09-24 | 2010-04-08 | Mutoh Industries Ltd | Printing apparatus and printing method |
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US20180257389A1 (en) | 2018-09-13 |
JP2018144425A (en) | 2018-09-20 |
JP6235180B1 (en) | 2017-11-22 |
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